help with sorc "pet" build

lord_dal · November 2014

hi, just made a sorc, really like the summoning pets, and I do know that they are not the best, but still, I like them, and I understand that it might not be the best to use both at the same time, but I would if I could lol, so atm I use the clanfear for solo stuff, and winged for group stuff, but Im having problems finding a good build, I mostly do solo content, lvling, gathering etc, and I like the ranged weapon the most, plus I suck at melee haha, so to the experienced sorcs out there, how would you make a pet build with ranged weapons? and like I said before, I would love to use both pets, but if its not possible to make a decent build with that, Im fine with one at the time.

AlexDougherty · November 2014

Well I did crystal shards, mages fury, Destructive touch (destructive clench morph), Clanfear, and Winged TMatriarch. Light Armour and Fire Destruction Staff.

Crystal shards is a strong opener for fights, the morph that sometimes makes it instant is useful.
Mages Fury is useful too, especially if you get the passives that sometimes disintergrate enemies.
Destructive Clench means you can knock enemies back away from you, if you have the fire staff.
Light Armour has passives that means your magicka regenerates faster.
Clanfear is a strong tank, some people use the exploding familiar morph though.
Winged Matriarch can heal you in emergencies.

You then have to choose some good passives, like capacitor fir Mages Fury.

Also You will need another weapon for Molag Bal (staffs do squat against him), Bow will work if you have some levels in it (points optional), Sword and shield will also work too.

lord_dal · November 2014

thanks for the reply:)
sounds a bit like what I have been looking at, what about the second skillbar/weapon?
and do you find that you are low on magica all the time, after all, its -20% magica with both pets, or isnt the magica pool any problem?

LarsS · November 2014

I use tank build for bosses and dungeons which includes the pets and add mage light, bound aegis, pulsar and meteor as ultimate. I have during leveling improved magica and health in equal amounts. High regen on magica and health. High quality light armour ogums scales with health enchantments. This is a v6 build but you can do simmilar builds at lower level.

Magdalina · November 2014

lord_dal wrote: »

hi, just made a sorc, really like the summoning pets, and I do know that they are not the best, but still, I like them, and I understand that it might not be the best to use both at the same time, but I would if I could lol, so atm I use the clanfear for solo stuff, and winged for group stuff, but Im having problems finding a good build, I mostly do solo content, lvling, gathering etc, and I like the ranged weapon the most, plus I suck at melee haha, so to the experienced sorcs out there, how would you make a pet build with ranged weapons? and like I said before, I would love to use both pets, but if its not possible to make a decent build with that, Im fine with one at the time.

Well, pets are great for solo content imo. I've solo'd a lot of Lower Crag vet 10+ delves with both my pets and Atronach - switched to that build if something was really kicking my fragile...self otherwise

In groups, they're mostly useless, especially at higher levels. Clannfear is a tank and Twilight is dps/healer, but when you have full-time tank, dps and healer, there isn't much point in taking 10% magicka and a skill slot away.

Far as actual builds go, I've always worn bathrobe(yes I know, FotM) and used detro/resto staves. Evolved to Inner light(+20% crit) on higher levels, but that takes a slot too. Impulse for aoe dps, crushing shock or crystal shards for single. Destructive touch/reach is AWESOME for soloing, with fire staff you can just endlessly knockback whatever comes at you(with few exceptions). Critical Surge is a great skill if you're using destro staff and have high crit chance(most people do by endgame). It also buffs heals.

Far as magicka goes, pets do take some away but you will run out of magicka sooner or later no matter how big your pool is if you don't focus on magicka management(unless you use Spell Symmetry which trades your health for magicka, but I don't think it's a good idea in solo content). Warlock is a great set for that, as is Seducer. Also, staves' heavy attacks regenerate magicka, especially resto staff. And of course, full light armor and all those passives.

Good luck;)

AlexDougherty · November 2014

lord_dal wrote: »

thanks for the reply:)
sounds a bit like what I have been looking at, what about the second skillbar/weapon?
and do you find that you are low on magica all the time, after all, its -20% magica with both pets, or isnt the magica pool any problem?

I used a High Elf (Altmer) so combined with light armour passives, I rarely ran out of magicka. Even with the -20% for both pets, they do work well together, the clanfear generally taking all the attention, and the Winged Twilight sniping from a distance, while I use heavy staff attacks and spells.

I did do the second bar, with a sword and shield just in case, but rarely used it.
Later on I used Impulse instead of Mages Fury, which dropped magicka faster, but that has a morph that cuts the enemies health in half (not Molag Bal though). I also experiments with lightning splash, and bolt escape.

In fact it was going swimmingly easy, until the fight with Molag Bal,

where none of those abilities did anything. In the end I used bolt escape to keep my distance and Mages Fury to Chip his health (plenty of potions on standby too).

So use another weapon for a while, a bow is good (distance helps against Molag Bal) but try to get the bow skill line to level 30 (just the line skills in it are optional) so it actually does some damage.

static_recharge · November 2014

I myself have wanted to try a pet build on my sorc but never have gotten around to it. I have been passively collecting pieces of the Necropotence armor set as its one of the only ones in the game focused around pets. According to this website it's not available until level 47, but worth keeping in mind.

http://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife.com/Necropotence+Set

catpower · November 2014

Do heals and buffs affect the pets? Like regeneration from the Resto staff, combat prayer, Circle of protection, etc?

Will they do much damage on their own or do they mainly serve as a distraction while you defeat things?

lord_dal · November 2014

heals do heal the pet, regarding damage, to be honest if you are looking for a max damage build, pet is the wrong way to go, but its a really fun build

Magdalina · November 2014

catpower wrote: »

Do heals and buffs affect the pets? Like regeneration from the Resto staff, combat prayer, Circle of protection, etc?

Will they do much damage on their own or do they mainly serve as a distraction while you defeat things?

Heals and buffs do affect your pets(which is another reason why they're bad in groups - no one wants their Regeneration to go to Clannfear).

Their own damage is pretty tiny, you'd be wise to not rely on it normally, but what I personally did if I got overwhelmed by a particularly OP boss in Craglorn was slooooooowly kill him using JUST pets' damage. I had 0 offensive skills on my bar, only pets, Healing springs, Hardened Ward and Inner Light. I shielded, healed and occasionally resummoned my pets as needed until the bosses died. It was by no means fast but wow, was it efficient in the end.

Valymer · November 2014

Magdalina wrote: »

catpower wrote: »

Do heals and buffs affect the pets? Like regeneration from the Resto staff, combat prayer, Circle of protection, etc?

Will they do much damage on their own or do they mainly serve as a distraction while you defeat things?

Heals and buffs do affect your pets(which is another reason why they're bad in groups - no one wants their Regeneration to go to Clannfear).

Their own damage is pretty tiny, you'd be wise to not rely on it normally, but what I personally did if I got overwhelmed by a particularly OP boss in Craglorn was slooooooowly kill him using JUST pets' damage. I had 0 offensive skills on my bar, only pets, Healing springs, Hardened Ward and Inner Light. I shielded, healed and occasionally resummoned my pets as needed until the bosses died. It was by no means fast but wow, was it efficient in the end.

I've used a similar tactic to solo the daedra generals or whatever those special bosses on the last wave of dolmens are. Well, I still used offensive spells but I just kept chain summoning a familiar because he got owned in like 3 hits lol. Better him than me though

Rumba1 · November 2014

My Sorc always runs with both pets summoned. VR6.5 now, and taking down world bosses alone most of the time. Almost always alone in the delves anyway.

Bar 1:
1)Crushing Shock (crystal shards is too slow)
2)Fire Reach (Knock back) replaces stun of crystal shards and its faster
3)Bolt Escape, for bosses you cant knock-back
4)clanfear (unstable)
5) wignedtwilite (matriarch)

ULT: Charged Storm Atronach

I almost never need Bar 2, but I do use it for multiple opponent situations
and when I think I may have to stand and fight rather than dodge and roll

Bar 2:
1)Restraining Prison
2)Liquid Lightning
3)Boundless storm
4) clanfear (unstable)
5) winged twilight (matriarch)

ULT Power overload

This build will not work well against Molag Bal, but for solo PVE I have found it pretty reliable

lord_dal · November 2014

I have tested tons of builds now, and decided to swap my dest staff for a resto staff with dmg/magica back enchant, since I found my self low on health many fight, and Im levling, so this is no end game, or dungeon build, and depending on if Im doing a dungeon or not, I swap out a few skills, but the skills on my main bar are:

crystal fragments: love the knock down, and instant cast proc thats up more or less all the time.

velocious curse: instant cast, and some aoe dmg.

restoring twilight

unstable clanfear

mutagen: instant cast heal, cast every 20 sec, helth problem gone.

on the second bar, well, dont really need to use it that much, here I just add skills/weapon depending on the situation, if I need more healing, cc, aoe etc, the only skill I have all the time is dark deal.

Im sure its not the best "build" but it works for me:)

Nightreaver · November 2014

Magdalina wrote: »

catpower wrote: »

Do heals and buffs affect the pets? Like regeneration from the Resto staff, combat prayer, Circle of protection, etc?

Will they do much damage on their own or do they mainly serve as a distraction while you defeat things?

Heals and buffs do affect your pets(which is another reason why they're bad in groups - no one wants their Regeneration to go to Clannfear).

.

Sadly that isn't true anymore. Regeneration got broke in 1.5 and no longer heals pets.

AlexDougherty · November 2014

Nightreaver wrote: »

Magdalina wrote: »

catpower wrote: »

Do heals and buffs affect the pets? Like regeneration from the Resto staff, combat prayer, Circle of protection, etc?

Will they do much damage on their own or do they mainly serve as a distraction while you defeat things?

Heals and buffs do affect your pets(which is another reason why they're bad in groups - no one wants their Regeneration to go to Clannfear).

.

Sadly that isn't true anymore. Regeneration got broke in 1.5 and no longer heals pets.

Sounds more like a fix to me, I like my sorceror's summons, but Heals should only affect players (maybe NPC Companions for missions).

Gyudan · November 2014

@lord_dal: you should try Healing Ward (resto staff, better than mutagen for solo) and Empowered Ward (daedric sommoning, buffs your pet dmg while active).

Bar 1 - Resto Staff: Crystal Fragments, Velocious Curse, Healing Ward, Clannfear, Twilight
Bar 2 - anything: Mage's Fury, Bolt Escape, Empowered Ward, Clannfear, Twilight

It's not the most effective setup for DPS but it's quite fun for solo content.

Nightreaver · November 2014

You might consider initiating encounters by sending pet in first so aggro is targeting the pet rather than you.

My setup for Soloing

Bar 1: Destro Staff
1)Crushing Shock Instant cast ST damage that can stun casters
2)Critical Surge - increases damage from Crushing Shock and Impulse as well as healing yourself with each Crit.
3)Impulse - PBAOE damage
4)Inner Light - increases crit chance which in turns increases Heal chance from Crit Surge
5) Unstable Clannfear - Tank Pet

Ultimate: Dawnbreaker - 13% increased weapon damage (Crushing Shock and Impulse)

Bar 2: Resto Staff
1)Silver Shards - Sta damage for when Magicka is low as well as knockdown for those pesky undead Casters and Archers or just to keep distance from them
2)Mage's Wrath - To finish targets off at 20%
3)Mutagen - instant cast HOT that turns into a direct heal when below 20%.
Note: Before 1.5 it healed both you and pet. As of 1.5 it is broken and not healing pet.
4) Inner Light
5) Unstable Clannfear

Ultimate: Greater Storm Atronach (ST version, the AOE version is worthless)

Magdalina · November 2014

AlexDougherty wrote: »

Nightreaver wrote: »

Magdalina wrote: »

catpower wrote: »

Do heals and buffs affect the pets? Like regeneration from the Resto staff, combat prayer, Circle of protection, etc?

Will they do much damage on their own or do they mainly serve as a distraction while you defeat things?

Heals and buffs do affect your pets(which is another reason why they're bad in groups - no one wants their Regeneration to go to Clannfear).

.

Sadly that isn't true anymore. Regeneration got broke in 1.5 and no longer heals pets.

Sounds more like a fix to me, I like my sorceror's summons, but Heals should only affect players (maybe NPC Companions for missions).

I'd say that targeted heals should have a player>pet priority, but still heal pets if there're no players around. Since the main use of pets is soloing content, and yes, they do need(and deserve!) heals then.

So sounds like either a bug or more of Zeni-style "fix delicate things with a hammer" thingie.

AlexDougherty · November 2014

Magdalina wrote: »

AlexDougherty wrote: »

Nightreaver wrote: »

Magdalina wrote: »

catpower wrote: »

Do heals and buffs affect the pets? Like regeneration from the Resto staff, combat prayer, Circle of protection, etc?

Will they do much damage on their own or do they mainly serve as a distraction while you defeat things?

Heals and buffs do affect your pets(which is another reason why they're bad in groups - no one wants their Regeneration to go to Clannfear).

.

Sadly that isn't true anymore. Regeneration got broke in 1.5 and no longer heals pets.

Sounds more like a fix to me, I like my sorceror's summons, but Heals should only affect players (maybe NPC Companions for missions).

I'd say that targeted heals should have a player>pet priority, but still heal pets if there're no players around. Since the main use of pets is soloing content, and yes, they do need(and deserve!) heals then.

So sounds like either a bug or more of Zeni-style "fix delicate things with a hammer" thingie.

Probably the delicate fix with a hammer

Nightreaver · November 2014

AlexDougherty wrote: »

Sounds more like a fix to me, I like my sorceror's summons, but Heals should only affect players (maybe NPC Companions for missions).

I think it was intended as a fix but ended up breaking more than it fixed, a familiar theme.

The biggest problem before it 1.5 was that Regeneration would target full health neutral mobs/NPCs that weren't involved in the encounter to heal. With 1.5 it no longer heals NPCs but also no longer heals pets.

Other heals still heal pets....as they should. Though Regeneration really should be smart healing as other MMOs have done.

And wasn't the Wizard's first rule "People are stupid."?

AlexDougherty · November 2014

Nightreaver wrote: »

And wasn't the Wizard's first rule "People are stupid."?

It was given several forms within the books but one was "People are stupid, they either believe things because they want it to be true or because they fear it's true"

Merlin13KAGL · November 2014

lord_dal wrote: »

hi, just made a sorc, really like the summoning pets, and I do know that they are not the best, but still, I like them, and I understand that it might not be the best to use both at the same time, but I would if I could lol, so atm I use the clanfear for solo stuff, and winged for group stuff, but Im having problems finding a good build, I mostly do solo content, lvling, gathering etc, and I like the ranged weapon the most, plus I suck at melee haha, so to the experienced sorcs out there, how would you make a pet build with ranged weapons? and like I said before, I would love to use both pets, but if its not possible to make a decent build with that, Im fine with one at the time.

Regarding Unstable, as you approach Vet level, level both morphs.

Clanfear can tank like nobody's business and can take huge damage.

Volatile's not as tanky, but the stun and damage (once they work again, anyway), are not to be underestimated. It's your own personal homing missile when you need to exit stage left sometimes.

(Bear in mind you'll have to respec for this, but it's worth trying out both.)

Matriarch is good for the occasional healing. It' not hard to softcap Magicka Recovery as is, and she has to be near you (other morph) - something you don't always want to be the case.

The remaining suggestions are good ones. Many skill sets are situational, depending on your solo/group status, kind of boss, number of mobs, etc.

The only other recommendation I'll make is this:

Lose the pets, summon familiars.

Puppies and kittens are pets. Paris Hilton has pets.

You're a Sorcerer, @lord_dal. Summon the raw daedric energies straight from Coldharbor, not a little ball of fluff that goes in a tiny pink purse.

bloodenragedb14_ESO · November 2014

if what your looking for is to have your pets do all the fightning, while you draw no threat. i suggest dark exchange, grand healing, empowered ward, then the pets. this allows you to heal and defend your pets, as well as increase their attack, and dark exchange and its morphs will allow you to restore your magicka when you run low.

this build may make all your fights last far far longer, but it keeps you relativly safe in pve.....in pvp your cannon fodder

lord_dal · November 2014

You're a Sorcerer, @lord_dal. Summon the raw daedric energies straight from Coldharbor, not a little ball of fluff that goes in a tiny pink purse.

well, the balls of fluff are really cute.. haha nah, the main reason I like them is that I think it has high survivability when it comes to larger groups of mobs, so Im open for a ranged sorc without pets if it has really high survivability:)